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The experience and needs of the poor turned Saint Vincent de Paul’s heart and energies to a life of care and compassion. A grumpy man by nature—and by his own admission–Vincent became a gentle and loving servant of the oppressed. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society carries on his work in many parishes today.
The finality of seeking annihilation for those who are hostile to us is precisely what makes it attractive. But God isn’t that way. He is patient, longsuffering, forgiving. And he expects us to be the same.
Evangelization is a Franciscan priority because it was a priority for St. Francis. And it was a priority because he had encountered Jesus and just couldn’t keep that to himself.
Many of those I love are far away. Our paths have led us to live apart—across borders, even oceans. When I sense this absence, my heart aches.
Pope Saint Paul VI helped prepare for the Second Vatican Council, and was the one to complete it after the death of his predecessor, Pope Saint John XXIII. In 1965, he instituted the Synod of Bishops, and spoke to the United Nations General Assembly during a historic visit to New York City.
At some time or other, we all seek some degree of standing in the community of faith. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as we acknowledge that that requires being unimportant.
In front of the San Damiano Cross, the Crucified Christ challenged Saint Francis to “go rebuild My house.” That task meant Francis had to transform himself first.
At times the spirit is willing and the flesh weak, but God wants the spirit more than anything else.
Christianity is the only religion which proclaims that God became a human being. This is unique and central to Christian understanding. St. Francis was fascinated by what we have come to call the Incarnation.
Frustrated in their attempts to enter religious life, Saints Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin married and had nine children. Their youngest child, who entered a Carmelite convent at 15, became Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, affectionately known as the Little Flower.
